Device



H. W KING.

DEPTH INDICATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1919.

1,364,504. Patented Jan. 4,1921.

UNITED srmwsur emeej HORACE. w. 'K'IN'G, or ANN ARBOR, memem j I I JDEP'DH-DN DICATING DEVICE. 7

Application filed ma 23, 191a Serial no: 299,323.

Toallwhomtmayconcern L 7 Be itknown.1that l, Hoganon {KING}. a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Ann Arbor, in the county of under pressure. One object, (of the inven tion is to provide a construction having means for indicating the resistance'oflered to depressin a column of the liquid being measured. nether object of the invention is'the proiiision ofr'ineans for: decreasing-any fluctuations :in the air pressure, due to the intermittent torciug of the air into the tank containing :the allqllld. Other objects of the intention reside in the novel arrangements and combinations. of parts as more tullyi hereinaiter :set "forth.

Inthedrawings: a 1 I Figure .1. :is a plongitudinal sectional x iew partly in elevation :of a aconstruotion-yem- .bodyingmyinvention; I *i Fig. :2 is a longitudinal sectional View partly in elevation of a portion of ,a'rmod'ifiedconstruction. k Generally speaking, my device. c'omprises a tube adapted for :the passage oiairunde 1 pressure and extending into andiicom'municating'avithzthe liquid being measured} This :tubesenves itO receive a column of air which displaces :a teolumn of the liquid leeing m :ured having the same zcrossesectionalarea.- This column-n of liquiddisplacedx,has .a .certain weight, depending upon zthe (depth thereof, and consequently aliens a certain resistance ltorthe \eoiumn of air (displaoingthe same, thereby imparting La certain pressure to :the air. A pressure gage measures l'this pressure. and is graduated-to indicate the depth of the liquid. i 1 a e As shown in detail, 1 :isca gasolene tank' :up on an automobile and having 13111:: aperture 2 in itstop. .3 .is aatubelextending through the aperture :2I-and into rthevgasolene. The

flower I end A: :of this tube is open and terminates. adjacent to the bottom oat the :tank .1', the projections or ears 5 belng prov1ded Specification of Letters Patent. P tent d Jan, 4,1 2.1;

upon .thetube and extending beyond its lower end to engage the bottom of the tank/ The space betweenthe lower end 4 of. the tube 3 (and the bottom of the gasolene :tank shouldxbe as small as possible and" at the same .time large enough to allowethe free passage of air beneath the tube. 6 is a cap for the tube This'cap also engages the top of the tank 1 and sealsfthe opening 2' therein. Suitably secured to the cap6 is the threaded nipple 7 communicatingWith V the space inside the tube 3 and adapted ,for connection with the pipe connection ,8 "lead; ingto one leg o;f;the U-shaped pressure gage the otherleg .o.i-thegageto the top of the gasolene -tanl t.f'

orlisu'pplyifigthe,tailt0 thetube 3 t0 displace the gasolene therein, and to" d c v pressurein the tank when the gasoleneis tends substantially axially of the tube 3 and terminates near the bottom of thetank The lower end .ofthis tube ,is, open while the upper end is secured to the cap 6 and I communicates with the threaded nipple'lax secured tothetop, The'nipple lt'iis adapted itobe connectedto asuitable sourceo f of the gasolene-tank.

Infipemtl n5 idiom W t iis fQrced throu h .the nipp'le 14 and inner tub 12 and :forced from the tank byair pressure, the e I innertube 12is provided. This tube'zexpasses upthrough the *liquidjin the outer liquid [therefrom and the air then escapes .up

through the liquid in the tank outside the outer tube 3. Thenpipe connection" 8 com 1 *municating with the upper end of the outer f tube 3 and the ga'ge9,.transmits the air gprese surein the outer tube to one leg of the gage 10,5 andxthe' pipeconnection 1lcommunicating" I with thetopxofthe gasolene tank Land the the air pressure in. the tube 3 and the 70 9.; The nipple 'lO and the tube ll connect pressure in the top of the gasolene tank and thus measures the depth of the gasolene in the tank. Owing to the comparatively large volume contained in the outer tube 3, the fluctuations caused by the intermittent supply of air into the outer tube will not be appreciable so that the gage can be easily read.

When air is pumped through the pipe (not shown) that is connected to the threaded nipple 14, most of the air passes out through the bottom of tube 12, but a small portion of the air passes through the small connecting tube 15 to the top of the gasolene tank. When the pump is not acting, if there should be a slight leak in the valve of the pump, without the bypass aiiorded by the tube 15 gasolene would be forced by the pressure in the gasolene tank through the pressure line andpossibly into the pump. With the tube 15, if there is a leak in the pump, equilibrium between the pressure in the tube 12 and in the gasolene tank will be established and gasolene will rise in the tube to the same level as in the tank. The rise of gasolene in the tube 12 in no way afi'ects the condition in the outer tube 3 and the depth of gasolene in the tank will be correctly registered by the gage whether the pump operates or not.

The gage 9 is preferably located on the dash in a position to be easily seen by the driver of the automobile. The device will operate equally satisfactorily regardless of the position or elevation of the gasolene tank relative to the gage.

For the purpose of having an attachment which is compact and can be readily inserted in the hole 2 of the tank 1, a portion 16 ofthe side wall of the outer tube 3, adjacent to the top 6 is bent inwardly to form the space 17 and the threaded nipple 10 is mounted on the top 6 and communicates with this space.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 2, the inner tube 18 has the laterally bent portion 19 at its lower end which extends out below the lower end of and beyond the side of the outer tube 3. The tube 18 is open at its end to permit of the escape of the compressed air up through the liquid being measured. For the purpose of providing air in the outer tube 3, the inner tube is provided near its lower end and within the outer tube with the aperture 20, this aperture being at approximately the same elevation as the lower end of the outer tube.

Although I have shown in the drawings the device as applied to a gasolene tank where the gasolene is forced by pressure to the motor, it is to be understood that with slight modification the device can be adapted to the measurement of gasolene or oil in automobiles when not under pressure. .It may also be used for indicating the depths of any liquids in any kind of tanks under any pressures or for indicating the surface elevation of natural bodies of water or the depth of floating objects. It the liquid wh'ose depth is to be indicated is under atmospheric pressure parts 15, 10, 11, 16, and 17 may be dispensed with.

VVhatI claim as my invention is:

l. The combination with a closed tank containing .liquid, of a tube extending into said tank and terminating near the bottom thereof, said tube having an open lower end, a second tube extending longitudinally within said first-mentioned tube and terminating near the lower end thereof, said second tube adapted for the passage of air under pressure and communicating with the space inclosed by said first-mentioned tube, and a pressure indicator connected with said first-mentioned tube and said tank at points above the level of the liquid in said tank.

2; The combination with a closed tank containing liquid, of a device for indicating the depth of the liquid in said tank, comprising a tube extending into said tank and terminating near the bottom thereof, said tube having an open lower end, a second tube extending longitudinally within said first-mentioned tube and having its lower end laterally bent and extending outside said cylinder near the bottom of said tank, said second tube provided with an opening near its lower end and within said first-mentioned tube, said second tube adapted for connection with a supply of air under pressure, and a U-tube having one leg connected with said first-mentioned tube above the level of the liquid in said tank and having the other leg connected with said tank above the level of the liquid therein.

3. The combination with a tank having an opening in its top, of a tube extending through said opening and having a cap for closing said opening, a second tube extending longitudinally of said first-mentioned tube and having an opening into the space inclosed by said first-mentioned tube, said second tube being secured to said cap and adapted for the passage of air therethrough under pressure, a nipple upon said cap and chamber only at substantially the same level V as said chamber communicates with the liquid, said tube adapted for the passage of air, and means for indicating the difference in air pressures in said chamber and in said tank above the level of the liquid contained therein.

6. The combination with a closed. tank containing liquid, of a chamber havin a closed upper end and an open lower en at the full depth of the liquid to be measured, a tube extending within said chamber and opening thereinto only near the lower end thereof, said tube adapted for the passage of air and communicating with the space inclosed by said chamber, and means for indicating the difference in air pressure in said tank above the level of the liquid contained therein and in said chamber.

7 The combination with a closed tank containing liquid, of a chamber having a closed upper end and communicating with the liquid only at the full depth to be measured, of means for conducting air into said chamber only at substantially the level of the point of communication of said chamber with the liquid, a pressure indicator connected with said chamber, and means for equalizing the pressures of the air in said tank and air conducting means when the air no longer passesthrough said air condueti i 8. The, combination with a closed tank:

ing means.

containing liquid, of a chamber closed at its upper end and communicating with the liquid only at the full depth to be measa. '45 chamber only at substantiallythe same; level as said chamber communicates with ured, a tub communicating with said the liquid, said tube adapted for the passage of air, means for indicating thedifference in air pressures in said chamber and in said tank above the liquid, and

means abovethe level of the liquid in said tank for permitting of restricted passage of air from said tube to the space in said tank outsideofsaid tube. .t

9. The combination with a closed tank containing liquid, of a] chamber closed at its upper end and communicating'with the liquid only at the full depth to be measured, ofga means for conducting air into said chamber, said means communicating with said chamber only at substantially the same level as said chamber communicates with the liquid, and means for indicating the difference in air pressures in'said chamber and in said tank above the level of the liquid contained therein.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HORACE W.KING. 

